Mariners Aiming For World Series In ‘97
Disappointment may have closed the door of another baseball season in Seattle, but the Mariners sense a window of opportunity remains open - and they plan on going through it in 1997.
A team that rode one of the most powerful offenses in major league history to 85 games, the Mariners came up short this year because of their pitching.
The remedy for that will could come during an off-season in which they hope to see Randy Johnson return to full health - and trade for a veteran pitcher who can slide into the rotation right behind the ‘Big Unit.’
“We don’t know what our payroll budget is for next season, but if you’re looking for a wish list, that’s it,” one Mariners executive said Monday. “If we can get a No. 2 starter and keep Jamie Moyer and Terry Mulholland, we’d begin the season as favorites to get to the World Series.”
Big talk for a team that limped home the final week?
After back-to-back winning seasons - another Seattle first - Mariners executives believe they can convince team owners to loosen the purse strings just enough to keep that offense intact and rebuild a pitching staff that posted the worst earned-run average in franchise history.
“There’s a feeling that this team is going for it,” Norm Charlton said. “We got close a year ago, if we’d had Randy healthy we’d have been close again.”
To the playoffs? Charlton shook his head.
“To World Series rings,” he said.
What will the Mariners do between now and February to bridge the gap between contending and winning? General manager Woody Woodward and manager Lou Piniella haven’t even begun talking yet - until three days ago, the team was still in a pennant race.
Still, there are indications the Mariners off-season strategy will include:
- A trade of Seattle prospects for a veteran pitcher with a team trying to reduce payroll.
“We’re not looking for somebody’s castoff, somebody’s No. 4 starter,” one Mariners source said. “We want a guy who’s No. 2 on our staff only because Randy is No. 1 - that’s the kind of pitcher we’re going after.”
- Offers to three free agent Mariners whose late-season acquisitions helped fuel an unexpected pennant race: Moyer, Mulholland and infielder Dave Hollins.
- A search for a left-handed hitting reserve catcher, an outfielder with speed and a few role-playing hitters capable of manufacturing the runs Seattle couldn’t get last season from its home run hitters.
The Mariners have the heart of their lineup - Alex Rodriguez, Ken Griffey Jr., Edgar Martinez, Jay Buhner and Paul Sorrento - under contract for 1997, with the team almost certainly picking up Sorrento’s $1.5 million option.
Add catcher Dan Wilson and third baseman Russ Davis and Seattle has seven of its nine regulars in place.